Spring/Summer 2012 Natural Beauty

Natural beauty was featured all over the Spring/Summer 2012 collections of so many designers this year. Much of this look is focused on a flawless complexion, or faking it until you make it with the right cosmetics. Here are a few simple natural beauty tips and clean ingredient cosmetics to recreate this look.

Although this “natural beauty” is a very fresh faced look, there is a tiny bit of effort to achieve it. What’s great is that it isn’t noticeable or forced.

After toning and moisturizing your skin, a natural looking full coverage base applied with a light hand will provide the “I’m not wearing makeup, but am flawless” look. My favorite makeup to use for full coverage yet barely noticeable is mineral makeup. I’ve made my own mineral makeup, yet have also recently tried the Bare Escentuals Matte Foundation, which does not contain bismuth oxychloride which irritated my skin, yet provides a smooth full coverage natural look.

Next apply concealer that is one shade lighter than your complexion under the eye area and on the lids. This creates a brightness to the eye area and also evens out the skin tone. I personally prefer to apply concealer on top of powder to avoid creasing and for better stay power. A natural concealer to try is Jane Iredale Circle Delete Concealer. What I love about this look is that you can opt to skip the eye shadow and move on to the brows.

A bold strong brow is crucial for this look.

Your brows frame your face and when you are going for a barely there makeup look your brows are the new focus. Use clear mascara to groom your brows. A great one with clean ingredients is Zuzu Luxe Clear Mascara. Lightly fill in your brows with a soft shadow and angled brush. My favorite to use is Gabriel Color Eyeshadow in Chocolate Brown. Make sure you brush out any extra shadow from your brows with a brow grooming brush to keep the look as natural as possible.

Cheeks have a bare there flush that can be created with a cream or powdered bronzer or blush. With this look I would only use one or the other not both. One to try is 100% Pure Lip & Cheek Tint in Shimmery Cocoa Berry for a super soft pink or another favorite the 100% Pure Cocoa Pigmented Bronzer. If you’d like a bit of color on your lids I would use a bit of blush or bronzer applied lightly with your finger and blended out completely with a fluffy eyeshadow brush.

Lips take form by neutralizing the lips with concealer then topping with a pinky nude tinted lip balm. Hemp Organics Lip Tints in Kiss or Alba Terra Tints in Bloom or Blaze would be perfect options. Finish off this with a natural dewy glow that can be created with RMS Beauty Living Luminizer swept along the cheek bones, center of the nose, and cupid’s bow, as well as a soft touch of mascara on the top lashes only if you like.

Although mascara is optional for this look, you could opt for clear mascara. A new favorite mascara is 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara. It smells delicious! Remember to curl your lashes first.